Schedule IV of the Single Convention contains narcotic drugs that are considered particularly dangerous and without any therapeutic importance. Cannabis and cannabis resin were included in this Schedule at the time of the adoption of the Single Convention in 1961. Governments are encouraged by the Single Convention to prohibit the production, distribution, and use of drugs in this Schedule.

The decision to include cannabis and cannabis resin in Schedule IV of the Single Convention was due to a politically motivated biased approach to cannabis in some Western countries, in particular, the United States, and not on scientific grounds as required in this convention. In the following decades, patients around the world found cannabis useful in treating their ailments but they were prevented from legal access to this medicine due to prohibitive laws in their countries based on the provisions of the Single Convention for drugs in Schedule IV.

The determination of patients to fight for legal access to medical cannabis and the quickly increasing amount of scientific evidence confirming its medical usefulness has led, since the 1990s, to the establishment of medical cannabis programs in some countries. However, the vast majority of patients around the world have continuously been prevented from the legal access to this medicine. The advocates of medical use of cannabis, both patients and scientists, were repeatedly requesting WHO to fulfill its mandate under the Single Convention and carry out a scientific review of cannabis to fairly evaluate its therapeutic usefulness in order to propose correction of its status under the Single Convention.

This would represent a major step forward in the medical use of cannabis worldwide since no Government could now refer to this international treaty as a reason for the prohibition of the medical use of cannabis. Moreover, in line with the provisions of the Single Convention, the Governments would now be obliged to ensure the adequate availability of cannabis for the relief of pain and suffering of patients in their countries.

“It is gratifying that the World Health Organization has recognized the scientific fact that cannabis and its derivatives have demonstrable therapeutic properties and can be the base for safe and effective medicines. It is now incumbent upon governments of the USA and other nations to eliminate the barriers to research on cannabis and allow its free commerce across state lines and international frontiers” stated Ethan Russo, MD, a neurologist and Director of Research and Development of the International Cannabis and Cannabinoids Institute (ICCI).

In addition, the WHO made recommendations to reschedule dronabinol and other THC isomers from the 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances to the Schedule I of the 1961 Convention.

Furthermore, the WHO recommended to include some cannabis and THC preparations to Schedule III of the 1961 Convention which would exempt them from many control measures of this Convention and importantly facilitate the access of patients to them. The WHO also recommended CND to confirm that CBD preparations containing not more than 0.2% of THC are not under international control. None of these modifications would change the prohibition of cannabis and THC for recreational purposes.

“These recommendations were inevitable and their adoptions by the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs would enhance public health globally,” stated Dr. Pavel Pachta, ICCI’s International Regulatory Affairs Director and former Deputy Secretary of the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB). “We do not expect that the CND would vote against these recommendations as they come from scientific experts and are based on rigorous scientific review.”

In line with the provisions of the Single Convention, this recommendation of WHO will now be put on vote during the sixty-second session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs which will meet in Vienna, Austria, in March 2019. Fifty-three States are members of this Commission and a single majority of the members present and voting is required to approve the recommendation by WHO.

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Steph Sherer

Steph Sherer is a founder and Executive Director of Americans for Safe Access (ASA), a founding member of International Medical Cannabis Patients Coalition (IMCPC). She has become the foremost international leader and expert on medical cannabis patient advocacy and, alongside the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) Steph has created the first industry standards in the areas of Distribution, Cultivation, Analytics, and Manufacturing, Packaging, and Labeling.

Ethan Russo, MD

Ethan Russo, MD, is a Director of Research and Development of ICCI, board-certified neurologist, psychopharmacology researcher, and former Senior Medical Advisor to GW Pharmaceuticals. He served as study physician to GW Pharmaceutical for three Phase III clinical trials of Sativex, physician and medical monitor for early studies of Epidiolex. He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania (Psychology) and the University of Massachusetts Medical School, before residencies in Pediatrics in Phoenix, Arizona and in Child and Adult Neurology at the University of Washington in Seattle. He was a clinical neurologist in Missoula, Montana for 20 years in practice with a strong chronic pain component.

Pavel Kubu, MD

Pavel is CEO of International Cannabis and Cannabinoids Institute Specialties include medical informatics, digital healthcare, digital transformation of public services, national strategies and planning, and government affairs. Prior to ICCI, Pavel worked at Intel in the Healthcare/Education division as a Business Development Manager driving innovative usage models and collaborating with governments on proof of concepts.

Dr. Pavel Pachta

Dr. Pavel Pachta is ICCI’s International Regulatory Affairs Director. As former Deputy Secretary of the International Narcotics Control Board and former Chief of the Narcotics Control and Estimates Section at UNODC, he offers a unique perspective on medical cannabis laws and regulations. Dr. Pachta has been a frequent contributor on UN and WHO publications.

Tomas Sadilek

Tomas Sadilek joined the ICCI in the position of Director of Government Affairs. He brings with him extensive experience from the Office of the Government of the Czech Republic in the field of Legal and Illegal Drugs Represented the Czech Republic in all drug-related meetings in United Nations institutions (Vienna, New York), Council of the EU meetings and Council of Europe meetings. Represented the Czech Republic in meetings in EU area, Eastern Partnership countries area, occasionally the US.